Bearing



May 2, 1933. E, R p cK 1,906,715

BEARING Original Filed Oct. 4, 1929 Patented May 2, 1933 UNITED STATESEDWARD R. PENICK, O! HOUSTON, TEXAS Bunnie Substitute for applicationSerial No. 397,185, filed October 4, 1929. This application filedDecember 4, 1930. Serial No. 500,037.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a bearing, andisa substitute for my earlier application Serial Number 397,185 filedOctober 4, 1929.

One object of the invention is to provide a bearing of the characterdescribed, constructed, and equipped with means, for maintaining acompressed air cushion, or film, about the relatively rotatable shaft,or other element, in said bearing.

Another object of the inventionis to provide a bearing for a rotatablepart, or shaft, therein of such construction that compressed air may beused as a lubricant, and such lubricant may be so applied as to maintainthe metal parts of the shaft and bearing out of direct contact.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of thecharacter described whereby a film of air, under compression, may bedistributed uniformly around the rotating shaft, or other rotating partwithin the bearing.

With the above and other objects in view this invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction, arrangement of partsand use, an example of which is given in this specification andillustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 shows atransverse sectional view of the bearing.

Figure 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 22 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view of another embodimentthereof, and

Figure 4 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, wherein like numerals ofreference designates similar parts in each of the Figures, the numeral 1designates the bearing, as a whole, which may be composed of the innerand outer sleeves 2, 3. In the form shown the inner sleeve is taperedand externally threaded and the inside of the outer sleeve is threadedand has a corresponding taper. to the taper of the sleeve 2 and isscrewed thereon. Between said sleeves there is an annular channel,formed in one of them and forming an enclosed chamber 4 around thebearing member.

Around the inner wall of the inner sleeve, and preferably spaced fromeach end thereof, there is a slightly elevated rib, 5 which has anannular row of, preferably circular, pockets or cavities, 6, and ports7, leading from the chamber 4 into said cavities. A pressure line 8 isthreaded into the outer sleeve 3 and through it compressed air may beintroduced into the chamber 4.

A shaft, as 9, is adapted to run in the bearing and will fit snuglywithin the belt like rib 5 thereof with only sufficient clearancebetween said shaft and rib to provide space for a film of compressed airabout said shaft. The air under compression will pass from the chamber 4through the ports 7 into the 'ockets 6 and thence in a film or sheet outetween the shaft and rib 5, thus holding the shaft out of direct contactwith the metal of the bearing, and in effect lubricating the bearing.When the air passes out beyond the rib 5 the pressure will be relievedand the air will be permitted to quickly escape.

In the form shown in Figures 3 and 4, the inner and outer sleeves 2', 3are assembled in substantially the same manner as in Figures 1 and 2 andthe bearing 1 of this form has the annular inclosed chamber 4' with theinternal annular elevation or rib 5' provided 39 with the pockets 6' andthe ports 7 leading into said pockets from the chamber 4 in the samemanner and for the same purpose as hereinabove described in connectionwith Figures 1 and 2. For the purpose of preventing endwise movement ofthe shaft 9 said shaft has an annular flange 10 formed integrallytherewith which abuts one end of said bearing and the end thrust plate11 fixed thereto which abuts the other end of said bearing. The ends ofthe bearing have the pockets 12 therearound with the channels 13 leadingfrom the chamber 4' into said pockets 12. There is a sufficientclearance between the ends. of the bearing 1' and the flange 10 andthrust plate 11 to admit a film of air under compression. The\compressedair will pass through the ports 7 into the cavities or pockets 6 andwill pass thence in annular sheets from each of the pockets 6 betweenthe shaft and the annular elevation 5 forming a film or sheet of air allthe way around the shaft 9 and between it and the elevation 5 and willpass thence into the annular spaces 14 and from them out through thechannels 15 in the ends of the bearing 1. The compressed air will alsopass through the channels 13 into the pockets 12 and from these willpass in a film or sheet between the ends of the bearing 1 and flange 10and thrust plate 11 respectively, thus in effect, lubricating thebearing and supplying a film of air, under compression, between themetal parts thus holding said parts at all times out of direct contact.

The bearings, in practice, will be mounted in alignment in suitablejournals as 16, and the shaft 9 mounted therein, one, at least, of saidbearings being of the construction shown in Figure 3 to retain the shaftagainst endwise movement.

The drawing and description disclose what is now considered preferredforms of the invention by way of illustration only while the broadprinciple of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

ber havin a bearing and provided with an enclosed air chamber thereln,of a relatively rotatable member in the bearing, there being ports fromsaid chamber leading inwardly into the bearing about the rotatablemember, said bearing havin an internal annular rib around the rotatab emember, provided with pockets around the rotatable member, in which theinner ends of said ports terminate.

5. The combination with a bearing member having a bearing and providedwith an enclosed air chamber thereln, of a relatively rotatable memberin the bearing, there being ports from said chamber into the hearingabout the rotatable member, end abutments on said rotatable memberadjacent the respective ends of said bearing member, there being airoutlet channels between the bearing ends and the adjacent abutments.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name.

EDWARD R. PENICK.

1. A hearing member having a bearing therein formed with an internalannular, belt-like, rib, a rotatable member in said bearing, saidbearing member having air channels leading into the bearing around therotatable member therein and which terminate to enlarged pockets in saidrib.

2. The combination with a bearing member having a bearing and providedwith an enclosed air chamber in said member, of a relatively rotatablemember in the bearing, there being ports leading inwardly from saidchamber into the hearing about the rotatable member, the inner ends ofsaid ports terminating in enlarged pockets about said rotatable member.

3. The combination with a bearing member having a bearing and providedwith an enclosed air chamber therein, of a relatively rotatable memberin the bearing, there being ports from said chamber into the hearingabout the rotatable member, end abutments on said rotatable memberadjacent the respective ends of said bearing member, said bearing memberhaving end pockets and also havingchannels leading from said chamberinto said end pockets.

4. The combination with a bearing mem-

